The 70th Annual Hunger Games
by jojoseaturtle
Summary: An account of Annie Cresta's experience in the Hunger Games.
1. Chapter 1

_Chapter One_

"Annie Cresta."

The wooden legs of Finnick Odair's chair scrape against the stage. He's sitting upright, and panic is beginning to flood his sea green eyes. He scans the crowd, desperately searching for someone. Someone named Annie Cresta…

"Annie. Annie!" a girl next to me hisses. I snap back to reality. No. This can't be. _My_ name is Annie Cresta.

I shut my eyes and open them again, hoping to wake up from this nightmare. To my dismay, all I see is the entirety of District 4 staring at me.

The girl pokes my shoulder. Move, Annie. Move.

After what seems like years, I step out of the group of seventeens. Walk up to the stage. Climb the steps. I can feel Finnick's eyes boring into the back of my head as Roni Salinas, the District 4 escort, puts her arm around me. "Any volunteers?" she trills into the microphone. She's answered with the sound of distant waves crashing onshore. A painful minute slides by. No one wants to take my place. Roni shrugs and carries on with the reaping. "Okay then. Time for the boys!"

I glance over at Finnick, whose knuckles are turning white on the arms of his chair. I try to make eye contact with him, but he seems very interested in something on the ground. Roni fishes around in the reaping bowl for a while, picking up slips of paper and dropping them back in, stirring the names around, dragging out the process. She finally yanks out a slip and reads the name. "Collin Ottosen!" Roni calls out. A boy who can't be older than thirteen steps out of the crowd and makes his way up to the stage. His legs are shaking violently as he takes his place next to Roni. "Would anyone like to volunteer?" she asks.

"I volunteer," says a boy from the group of fifteens. He's tall and has a muscular build, and his tan lines are the kind that could belong only to someone who spends all day fishing. He walks up to the stage and Collin takes this as his cue to bolt away, back to a woman who I assume must be his mother. "Oooh, goody, a volunteer. And who might you be?" Roni asks. "Keld Bramson," he says into the microphone. "Ah! I should've known. You're Rolf's brother, aren't you?" Roni enthuses. Keld nods firmly. "Well, let's just hope you keep up that family winning streak, huh?" Roni says, and I may be mistaken, but I think I catch her shooting me a dirty glare. Keld shrugs and shoves his hands deep inside his pockets. "People of District Four, I give you your tributes, Annie Cresta and Keld Bramson!"

A few people clap. Others look down uneasily at their feet. Four men with dark hair and sharp features that match Keld's cheer loudly. "That's the spirit!" Roni shouts. She blows a few kisses to the crowd and bats her eyelashes. It isn't until the mayor comes up and reminds her that the ceremony has to continue that she takes her seat.

The mayor steps up to the microphone and begins to read the Treaty of Treason. When he's finished, he tells Keld and me to shake hands. He clasps his hand firmly around mine, his pale blue eyes dancing in the sunlight.

The anthem plays and I smile feebly at the crowd. They don't return the favor.

Peacekeepers surround us and lead us into the Justice Building. Two of them usher me into a circular room with a plush white couch, shiny hardwood floors, and a glass topped coffee table. They shut the door behind me with a sharp slam, leaving me alone.

I take a seat on the couch and survey the room. Open windows, curtains dancing in the warm, salty breeze. The smell of lemony floor polish potent. Well-tended to potted plants. On the coffee table lies a beautiful red rose.

I wonder how many people who've been in here ended up dead.

It takes ten minutes for my parents to finally show up. We stand in the center of the room, encircled in a tight embrace. They tell me how much they love me, how they'll be cheering for me. It seems to be only seconds before a Peacekeeper opens the door and tells my parents that the hour is up. "Wear this as your token," my mother says, pressing something into my hand. She kisses my forehead, tells me to be brave, and then she and my father leave.

I struggle to keep the tears from spilling from my eyes as I'm taken out into the Justice Building lobby, and then out the back door. Peacekeepers sit on either side of me in the car on the way to the train station. I make myself busy by straightening out every crease in my floral skirt and adjusting my blouse.

I know I won't make it out alive. I can see it now; a spear to the chest, maybe an arrow to the head. If I'm lucky one of the other tributes will just snap my neck during the bloodbath and be done with it.

I'm not strong. Not very pretty, not by Capitol standards anyways. I can't do anything but swim around and make fishing nets. The closest thing I've ever held to a weapon is a kitchen knife. It takes only minutes of running to wear me out.

Too soon, we arrive at the train station. I take a deep breath and step out of the car, preparing myself for the cameras that I know await me. Sure enough, I find myself faced with dozens of camera lenses, and Capitol reporters surrounding me. I keep my head held high and a small, innocent smile on my lips. Even wave my fingers a little bit.

My efforts to please the audience are futile. Most of the cameras are focused on Keld Bramson, and I'm sure that the entire Capitol is already making bets in his favor. His brother, Rolf, was the victor eight years ago. Brutal and unforgiving, he slaughtered nine tributes with a heavy-looking axe. When it was down to just him and his district partner, a 12-year-old girl named Elena, whom he had protected like his own sister throughout the games, he buried the axe deep in her chest. I remember how indifferent he looked when he killed her, ignoring her sobbing pleas.

Keld looks much like his older brother, sharp, jagged features, dark brown hair that looks like he's just rolled out of bed, and gorgeous blue eyes. There's no doubt in my mind that he'll win over the hearts of the Capitol citizens, leaving me in the dust.

Roni Salinas looks like she's having the time of her life, blowing kisses at the cameras, tossing her curly blue hair around like a little schoolgirl. If she weren't such a ditz and didn't have skin the color of eggplants, I imagine that she'd be something of a beauty.

When we finally manage to weave our way through the crowd and onto the train, the cameras linger for another five minutes before the doors shut. I lose my balance when the wheels begin to turn and put my hand up against the wall to keep myself from falling. The speed is overwhelming and I feel a little sick.

Finnick seems to appear from nowhere. "I'll show Annie to her room," he says, grabbing me by the elbow and practically dragging me through the corridor. We stop at a dark wooden door. I enter the room, and when he's sure no one's looking, Finnick steps in and closes the door behind him.

"Annie, listen to me. Your reaping was no mistake," Finnick says in a hushed voice. "What are you talking about?" I ask. "The Capitol knows about you and me. They think you're interfering with my…" his voice trails off. Although we both know that there's no other word for them than _customers, _neither of us acknowledges it. "Never mind. Point is, the President wants you dead, and every single one of those slips had your name on them."

My vision becomes dotted with black spots, and my legs wobble beneath me. If I felt sick before, it's nothing compared to what I feel like now. "How did you know that?" Finnick looks down at his feet, chewing on his lower lip nervously. "What am I supposed to do, Finn?" I whimper. Finnick takes a step closer and gently tucks a piece of hair behind my ear. I've half a mind to push him away, tell him that this is exactly the kind of thing that puts me on the President's hit list, but instead I find myself reaching for his hand and pressing it to my check.

Finnick's eyes lock with mine. His lips are turned up in an almost apologetic smile. "You'll have to win, Annie."

Finnick exits the room, leaving me to my thoughts. I sit down on the edge of the huge bed in the center of my room. My fingers run over the soft wool blanket as I stare off into space. It isn't until now that I remember my mother's gift, still clenched tightly in my hand. I release my fingers, and in my palm lies a simple seashell tinted a light peachy color. I remember seeing it in my mother's hair once or twice, and sure enough, when I turn it around, I find a clip glued to the back.

A sharp knock on the door startles me. Before I can permit her in, Roni pokes her head inside. "Dinner is in an hour, sweetie pie. You can wear whatever you want from that dresser, and if you need something, just find an attendant. The bathroom is over there," she says, gesturing to a door that I hadn't noticed before. I nod and she disappears into the corridor.

After a while, I stand up on shaky legs and walk into the bathroom. I turn on the sink and put my hands under the running water, and immediately pull them away when I find that it's scalding hot. It takes a minute or two of adjusting the knobs to make the water a bearable temperature. I rinse off my face and pat it dry with a fluffy towel on the counter.

When I look in the mirror, I see a girl who looks far too tired and worried. I see a girl who is scared out of her wits. A girl that has no clue what awaits her in the weeks to come. A girl that, if she makes it out of the Hunger Games alive, will have to spend the rest of her life afraid of being anywhere close to her best friend, knowing that even the slightest sign of affection could mean both their deaths.

I leave the bathroom, not wanting to look at my reflection anymore. Back in the main part of my quarters, the large dresser in the corner catches my eye. I open every single drawer, finding piles of neatly folded clothing in each one. My curiosity gets the best of me and I end up taking out all the garments and holding them up to my body, admiring them in the full length mirror. This game of dress-up temporarily distracts me from all that's wrong in my world right now, but I know that I can't avoid the Games forever. In the end I settle on a baby blue shirt with long flowing sleeves and a pair of black slacks. I slip back into the white sandals I wore at the Reaping. Before I leave my room, I clip back a small section of my dark hair near my face with the seashell barrette.

Instead of asking someone where the dining room is, I roam the seemingly endless corridor until I hear Roni's high pitched laugh from behind a set of double doors. When I push them open, I see a long table set with the finest china I've ever seen. On one side of the table sits Finnick and an older woman that everyone calls Mags, who won her Games decades ago. Opposite them are two chairs- one occupied by Keld Bramson, and the other I assume is for me- and at the end of the table sits Roni Salinas, laughing at something that apparently no one else found funny.

"Oh, there you are! I thought you'd never show up!" Roni exclaims. I shrug. "I got distracted by the clothes," I say, and this brings about a round of laughter from everyone at the table, and even Finnick sports a smile. The pleased expression on Roni's face tells me that I've earned her respect. As a girl from the Capitol, fashion must be all that she ever talks about. "I can't blame you for that," she remarks with a wink.

I slide into the chair next to Keld and three chefs walk out of a door that must lead into a kitchen. One places a large covered dish in the middle of the table while another goes around and fills our glasses with a deep red liquid that I recognize as wine. The third lifts the cover off the dish and reveals a large bowl with a soup that smells divine. He dips a ladle into the bowl and scoops the soup into each of our own tiny bowls, and when we're all served, the three chefs bow and retreat back into the kitchen.

The soup is rich and creamy, filled with all sorts of vegetables and chunks of meat. I eat a spoonful and it warms me from head to toe. It's so delicious that it takes all my willpower not to pick up the bowl and pour it into my mouth, but I mind my manners and take small bites. Roni suggests Keld and I tell our mentors about ourselves. Keld doesn't have much to say, only that he grew up with four brothers and that he works as a fisherman, but I'd rather come off likeable and friendly than surly and unapproachable, so I begin to babble about meaningless things.

I feel silly telling Finnick about my life, since he's been there for most of it, but I know that I must now pretend not to know him as well as I do for my own safety. During the third course of the meal, when everyone else is distracted by their plate of roasted turkey, Finnick makes eye contact with me and gives me a small approving nod.

I begin to regret eating so much after dessert- red velvet cake with buttercream icing. Even as a resident of one of the wealthier districts of Panem, I've never had this much to eat in one sitting. I exchange a look with Keld Bramson, who is looking just as sickly as I am.

After the table is cleared, Keld and I follow Roni and our mentors into a different compartment where we view the reapings in all the other districts. As always, the kids from District 1 and 2 look well-built and ready to kill. District 3 plays through, and then the words _District 4 _flash across the scene. My name is called, and the camera finds me in the crowd. I'm embarrassed when they show the girl next to me poking me, telling me to go up. When I mount the stage and smile, the announcers point out that I made a quick comeback after my moment of shock. They say I look like a confident young woman.

"Confident young woman" is nothing in comparison to the praise Keld gets. They talk about his brother, even show a short clip of his reaping. The odds are most definitely not in my favor here.

Nobody sticks in my mind until the program gets to District 9, when a girl with flowing blonde hair and crystal-like blue eyes is reaped. Her full figure and dazzling smile will be a good asset for her. A tall girl from District 11 with broad shoulders and more muscle than I could ever dream of having has a sly look in her eye that tells me her strategy won't be based on just brute force. The tributes from 12 have matching dark hair and olive skin, and their grey eyes have a dead look to them. I always feel the worst about 12, which has people dropping dead of starvation every day. They don't need the heartache of another two kids dying every single year.

When the recap is over, I bid everyone goodnight and make my way to my room. I slip into a purple silk nightgown that makes me feel like I'm encased in the warm currents of District 4's ocean. The thought of home comforts me, but at the same time makes me feel more scared than ever. I wonder what my parents are doing right now. Have they stopped crying? How will they handle the next few weeks? My father had a drink or two, no doubt. Maybe more. I pray that he'll stay strong for my mother, keep her distracted so that she won't have to endure the pain of knowing that I could be dead any moment.

I crawl into bed and pull the warm wool covers around me. I stare up at the ceiling in the dark. For the first time today, I let the tears fall freely from my eyes. They roll down my cheeks, soaking my pillow and my hair. I stay like that for a long while, curled up in bed. My head feels like it's going to explode any second. Too much has happened to me today.

I remember when Finnick came back from his Games. The way his eyes, usually so filled with life, looked hollow. He'd jump at the slightest noise, and try to avoid anything that reminded him of the horrors of the arena. He stopped fishing. He even stayed away from me for a while because my family's fishing net business only brought back the memory of entangling his fellow tributes in his woven net and spearing them with his trident.

Slowly, ever so slowly, Finnick began to come back to me. We would sit on the beach, skipping stones on the water's surface like we used to, back before he was reaped. He started talking to me more, sharing with me the pain of his time in the arena. Things started going back to normal, up until the Victory Tour.

Halfway between the annual Games, Finnick was forced to tour the Districts, to celebrate his victory with the very people whose children he had killed. He became even more popular in the Capitol, so popular that during his absence, he was sent no less than 543 bouquets of flowers, and so many more letters of the Capitol citizens confessing their undying love for him.

His popularity didn't go unnoticed.

When he returned home from the Victory Tour that year, he started getting weekly visitors from the Capitol. Female visitors. I thought nothing of it at first, but once the visitors started to come nearly every day, I figured it out.

It was a warm night in August, a few years after the Games. The two of us were on the beach, watching the sun set on the horizon. "Finnick," I began, picking at a loose thread on my shirt, "How many women have you slept with?"

The question took him by surprise. "W-what are you talking about?" he stammered. I stood up from my perch on the sand, putting my hands on my hips like a mother lecturing her child. "You heard me. How many, Finn? Twenty? Thirty?" I demanded. Finnick stood as well, his face just inches from mine. "I have no choice," he snapped.

"After the Victory Tour, President Snow himself came to visit me. Told me that my handsome face was something of a legend in the Capitol," said Finnick. "He said that I'd be receiving some visitors, and if I met their desires, I'd be paid for my efforts."

I felt as though someone had punched me in the stomach. "You don't mean…" Finnick nodded solemnly. "He mentioned that I should take into consideration the safety of my loved ones. Showed me pictures of my dad, of you and me on the beach. I'm only doing this to keep you safe, Annie."

Finnick began to walk away. "Wait!" I said, grabbing him by the shoulder. He shrugged me off and kept going. "Finn, please, talk to me," I begged. "I'm sorry, I didn't know!" Then he suddenly turned around, took my face in his hands, and pressed his lips to mine.

I remember how he tasted like tears and sorrow. How my fingers ended up entwined in his hair, pulling him as close to me as possible, as the sky around us went dark. How when we broke apart, he held me in his arms as I wept, telling me how sorry he was that it had to be this way.

Now as I lay here in my bed as the train is speeding off to the Capitol, all I can think of is Finnick. I wonder if that kiss will be our last, if I only have the next week to spend with him. I wipe the tears from my cheeks with the back of my hand and flip my pillow over so the dry side is facing up. I'm so exhausted that when I close my eyes, I fall asleep almost instantaneously.

When I awaken, all I can see is purple. I rub the sleep from my eyes and blink until I can see more clearly. I'm staring into the face of Roni Salinas, her bubblegum pink eyes an inch from mine. "Good morning!" she shouts. I groan and roll over. "What time is it?" I mumble into the pillow. "Four o'clock! We're just arriving in the Capitol, so get your cutie-patootie self out of bed and get dressed," Roni tells me. She stops to straighten out a painting on the wall before leaving my room.

I lay in bed for a minute, my eyes still adjusting to the dim light. I throw the covers to the ground and stretch my limbs. The clothing I left in a pile on the floor is gone, and has been replaced with an outfit I assume I'm to wear. I stand up and pick it off the floor. A pink v-neck shirt made of soft cotton. A white skirt with a flower pattern embroidered in black velvet. My white sandals from yesterday. When I put them on, I find that they fit perfectly. I take a quick look in the mirror in the bathroom and run my fingers through my hair. After repositioning my seashell barrette, I take a step back and examine myself. I look very girly, and not to sound vain, but very pretty in a natural, simple way. Whoever my stylist is must have decided to play up my large, round, sea-green eyes, the gap between my two front teeth, and the freckles that make me appear much younger than seventeen.

I leave my room and find my way back to the dining room. Mags is sitting down in her chair, holding a mug of coffee in her hands. Keld's head is resting on the table with his eyes closed. Finnick is nowhere to be found, and Roni seems to be the only one who's really awake. She's gazing out the wide window, and I see a faint image of a rather barren landscape zooming past. Suddenly the car goes dark, save for the chandelier hanging above the table. Keld Bramson snaps awake. "What's going on?" he asks groggily. He's dressed in simple blue jeans, a black t-shirt, and black shoes. Roni turns around and smiles at us. "We're nearly there!" she says excitedly. She steps back for Keld and me to peer out the window. Never have seeing the Capitol before, I stand in front of it, eagerly waiting for the train to pass through the tunnel that leads into the city.

When the darkness ends, it reveals what seems to be an alternate universe. The tall, colorful buildings touch the clouds, and the streets, although deserted, are filled with life. In shop windows are mannequins wearing the brighty colored apparel of the Capitol. Keld joins me and his jaw drops in awe. We stare in disbelief at the city; even press our noses against the window.

The train rolls into the station and the Capitol is blocked from our view. Keld retreats to his chair and Finnick walks into the compartment. "Did I miss anything?" he asks with a yawn. "We're here," says Mags, taking a sip of her coffee. Finnick rolls his eyes. "Fantastic," he grumbles sarcastically, earning himself a nasty look from Roni Salinas. He snatches the mug of coffee from Mags' hands and takes long drink from it.

"Come on, you two, you've got a big, big day ahead of you!" says Roni. She links her elbow with mine and pulls me away from the window. Keld looks very disgruntled when she does the same to him. Roni leads us out of the compartment and down the corridor to the door that leads outside of the train. The door slides open and Roni reminds us, "Big smiles!"

To my surprise, a huge group of reporters has risen early enough to meet us at the station. Microphones are shoved in my face, and cameras follow me the whole eight steps that it takes to reach the waiting car that will take Keld and me to the remake center. I flash a huge smile, wave at the cameras, and then I duck into the car, bracing myself for the big, big day ahead of me.


	2. Chapter 2

_Chapter Two_

A thin woman named Flora holds the most recent waxing sheet delicately between her fingertips, making a disgusted face at all of my leg hair that's stuck on it. She drops it into the trash and crinkles her eyebrows, whose hairs have been replaced with electric blue rhinestones. Thankfully my stylist has told my prep team to make no major alterations, so my eyebrows have been spared from jeweling. At this point, I'd rather that Morgana, the woman with lilac skin who is fixing my brows, just shave them off. Every inch of my skin stings, and Lucas is tugging at my hair so hard that I'm surprised he hasn't pulled it out yet.

"Finally!" Flora exclaims, yanking off one last strip of wax. "You're done?" I ask, relieved. "Of course not, silly! We haven't even started on your arms!" She spreads warm wax on my right arm and pats the sheet down on top of it. With one aquamarine hand, she pulls the skin taught, and with the other, she yanks out the hairs. I yelp in pain. "Hold still!" says Morgana. "You'll make me mess up your arch!"

As Flora continues ridding my body of hair and Morgana perfects my eyebrows, Lucas grabs a jar from one of the many shelves behind him and removes the lid. Inside is a thick mixture that he rubs on my hair, making it feel heavy on my scalp. As that dries, he takes a large brush and begins to scrub my legs with oil that smells like lavender and makes my skin burn.

I've been laying here, completely naked, for two hours. Before that I had to take at least a dozen different baths that seemed to make no difference to my appearance. When my prep team is finally done "fixing" me, I'll be at the mercy of my stylist, who, so far, seems to want me as normal as possible, but maybe once she sees me in person, she'll probably want me to go to the Opening Ceremony nearly naked, like many tributes before me.

Lucas finishes scrubbing my legs and begins working on my torso. His hair is bright red and sticks out in spikes all around his head. Green tattoos swirl down his otherwise normal arms and around his fingers, making him look like he's laced in a vine of some sort. His lips are thin and long, and coated with powder blue lipstick. I wonder how long it takes him to get ready each morning.

"All finished," Flora announces, stepping back to admire her work. Morgana, who's been busy rinsing out the paste that Lucas put in my hair, stands up and joins her. "You missed a few hairs on her left elbow," she points out. Flora reaches into the pouch around her waist and produces a pair of tweezers. She yanks out the hairs and then rejoins Morgana. "_Now_ I'm done," says Flora, shooting Morgana a dirty look.

"Let's throw her in the tub again," says Lucas. The three of them help me up from the table and hand me a white bathrobe. I yank it on immediately, only to find that I have to remove it again once we enter the bathroom across the hall. Morgana fills the tub with warm water and instructs me to get in. I feel like a child as she and Flora scrub me down with two bars of soap. When they're finished washing me, I stand up and Flora pushes a button that makes water pour from the shower head. Once I'm rinsed off, I step onto the mat in front of the tub and heaters turn on and dry my body. "Much better," says Flora, tossing my robe at my chest.

I pull on my robe and my prep team leads me back into the main room and sits me down on a rotating chair. "Let's go get Symone!" Morgana trills. The moment they leave the room, I dart for the small cart where my clothing lay. I pick up my seashell barrette and clasp it firmly in my hand. When I close my eyes and think of home, I can almost hear my mother's laugh, see my father's smile, feel the warm breeze on my skin.

My eyes snap open when a short, plump woman who must be Symone walks in. Her skin is the same warm tan color as mine, but if the light hits it just right, you can see that it's actually coated with a thin layer of pink glitter. Her eyebrows are just like Flora's, hairs exchanged for rhinestones, but the color scheme on hers is mainly composed of pinks and purples. On her lips is a rich fuchsia colored lipstick. Her strapless dress is pink at the top and fades out to a dark purple towards the bottom. The fabric hugs her curvy body at all the right places, making her look very healthy and beautiful, whereas most of the other Capitol citizens are so overly styled it's almost disgusting.

Her pink pumps click on the tile floor as she walks over to me. "Good morning, Annie. I'm Symone," she says in a thick Capitol accent. She twirls my hair in her fingers. "You have beautiful hair," she remarks. "Thank you," I say. She circles my body, and I'm thankful that she doesn't make me take my robe off.

Symone crosses her arms over her chest and taps her foot. "What's that you have in your hand?" she asks. I uncurl my fingers and hold out the barrette for her to see. She plucks it from my palm and examines it. "This is your token, correct?" I nod in confirmation. Symone hands it back to me. "Come with me," she says.

I follow her out into the hall and into another room. Inside are four black armchairs, and the walls are covered in doors. Symone strides over to one of the doors and opens it. Inside is a closet, filled with costumes that I remember seeing on previous District 4 tributes. I catch a glimpse of the outfits I recognize from two years ago, where the tributes were dressed as merpeople. They looked so dazzling, up until they got in an argument over a package of crackers and ended up killing each other.

Symone shakes her head and has to open three more of the closets before she finds the one she's looking for. She reaches inside and pulls out my costume for the Opening Ceremony.

It's a simple tank top that looks like it was soaked in glue, then coated in sand and a few tiny seashells. Along with it is a pair of denim cutoffs, and a ridiculous fishing hat with all sorts of charms on it that looks three sizes too big for me. Symone sets the outfit on one of the chairs, and pulls out a set of underclothes from the closet. "Put that on, and tuck in the shirt," she says, turning around to give me some privacy.

I do as she says and when I put on the hat, it falls down past my eyes. "Done," I say, trying not to sound too disappointed. Symone turns around and walks back over to me. She tilts the hat so that I can see, but it still fits very loosely. I give her a weak smile and she nods her head in satisfaction. Then she goes back to the closet and pulls out what at first I think is a thin sheet of plastic, but has water sloshing around at the bottom.

I give Symone a questioning look. She smirks and slips the plastic over my head. Attached to it is a battery pack that I didn't notice before. "Turn it on," she says. Curiously, I shift the switch to _on_ and a strange tickling sensation goes through my torso. I look down and see that the water is trapped between two pieces of plastic, and with the battery pack going, it moves around the shirt like ocean currents. You can still see the sand and shells beneath the water, and it has such a fun, nautical feel to it that I can't help but smile.

"Do you like it?" Symone asks. I run my fingers over the plastic, wondering how she got this to work. "It's amazing," I say. She smiles at me, clearly satisfied. "Oh, one more thing," says Symone. She reaches into the closet once more and hands me a fishing pole complete with a cheesy fake fish on the hook. I laugh at how utterly silly it is. "This is wonderful," I remark. "Here, look in the mirror," says Symone. She opens the door a little wider and reveals a full-length mirror.

My reflection no longer holds a girl who knows that she could be dead in just a few days. Instead, it shows a young woman who radiates confidence and has found light in the dark place that she's in. "Perfect," Symone says quietly from behind me.

She turns off the battery back and brings me into another room where she begins on my hair. It takes her hours to curl it all, and I almost feel bad for having so much of it. It's always been very thick, and it reaches past my chest. After Symone finishes curling my hair, she threads in some shining blue material. A few pieces of hair are braided back so you can see my face better. Finally she sprays my hair with something from a canister that makes it sparkle like a thousand diamonds.

When Symone's finished with my hair, she starts working on my face. She rims my eyes with a thin layer of glitter liner, and keeps the rest of my face matte. My cheeks are tinted pink to give the impression that I've been out in the sun too long. Symone adds a thick, clear gloss to my lips that makes them glisten in the light.

When she's finished, the prep team walks in and they all squeal in delight. Lucas compliments Symone on her curling technique, and Flora and Morgana are cooing over how adorable I look.

After they finish obsessing over me, they set to work on some fine details. Morgana adds a clear coat of nail polish to my fingernails, while Lucas paints my toenails the same sea green shade of my eyes. I wonder what Keld Bramson's prep team is doing to him. I smirk at the thought of his hair being sprayed with glitter.

Flora glues miniscule seashells to my fingernails while Morgana and Lucas argue over where my barrette should be placed. Symone steps in and reminds them that with my hat, you won't be able to see it. She simply stitches the clip in place on the brim of the hat and assures me that she'll cut it loose after the Opening Ceremony.

By the time they're all finished with me, I still have a few hours to kill before it's time for the ceremony. Mags, Roni, and Finnick deem this a good time to coach me and Keld on our public appearance, so Roni pokes her head in and tells me to meet them in the costume room.

I thank Symone and my prep team and then make my way to the costume room. Before I go inside, I turn on the battery pack so they can get the full effect of my outfit.

I walk in and Roni claps happily. "See? I told you she looked fantastic!" Keld is in a similar outfit, only his shorts are khaki and have lots of pockets, and he doesn't have any glitter. "You look nice," he remarks. "You're not so bad yourself," I say with a small smile. I realize that this is the first time we've actually spoken to one another.

"So, I'm guessing your angle is to be a delicate little flower," says Mags. I shrug. "If it'll get me sponsors, then sure." Mags stands up to get a closer look at me. She makes a full circle around me, making little _hmmm_ noises as she does so. "Give her the fishing pole, Odair," says Mags. Finnick retrieves it from one of the closets and hands it to me. His hand lingers on mine for a moment, and then he stands beside Mags to examine me.

"Do something frilly," he commands. I roll my eyes and grin widely, wave the fishing pole around, and twirl my fingers in my hair. Finnick snickers and I make a mental note to kick him or something later.

"Keld, go stand by Annie. Good. Now Finnick and I will stand over here, and you two walk towards us and pretend that you're on the chariot and we are very wealthy people who could be your potential sponsors," says Mags.

Keld and I walk towards them. He has a mischievous smirk plastered on his face, and he waves at our artificial crowd, even winks at Mags. I blow kisses to Finnick and he pretends to catch them and holds them to his heart as if they're the most precious thing to exist. I laugh at his dreamy expression. "That's good! You need to giggle a lot, act like you're having the time of your life," Mags instructs.

We practice walking around the room until it's time to get loaded onto the chariot. We're taken to the bottom level of the Remake Center where our chariot awaits us. Some tributes are being fussed over by their prep teams, others are admiring the majestic white horses that lead the chariots. Symone helps me up, and a man with blue skin that must be Keld's stylist is helping him tuck the battery pack into his pocket. "Don't turn these on until the last minute," Symone reminds us.

"Ready?" Keld asks. I laugh. "No, but I guess I have to be." I look down at Finnick, and he points to the corners of his mouth. "Smile, Annie!" he reminds me. I flash him a wide smile and he gives me the thumbs-up.

Music blares and the District 1 chariot exits the Remake Center. The District 3 tributes in front of us are dressed in body suits covered with wires. Their chariot wheels out, and Keld and I turn on our battery packs. "Just act like Roni Salinas and you'll be fine," says Keld, and our chariot enters the city.

The crowds are shouting wildly, cheering at the top of their lungs. They go completely insane when they see Keld. People throw him flowers, chant his name. I blow kisses to the crowd, and that's when they notice our outfits. "Look at the water!" they say. "Annie! Annie!" someone shouts. I smile in their direction and wave like a giddy child. I remember Mags telling me to have fun, so I think of Finnick catching my kisses and begin to giggle.

My hat slips down and covers my eyes. I laugh and Keld snatches it off my head and dangles it just out of my reach, and I jump to try and retrieve it. The crowd loses their minds at this point. He finally sets it back down on my head, straightens it out, and pokes my nose as if I'm the cutest darn thing he ever did see.

I remember how his brother killed Elena, and I wonder if Keld is planning to do the same to me.

Before I can let the smile fade from my face, I dismiss the thought and play along. I poke him in the side with my fishing pole, which makes the crowd roar with laughter. He lightly hits me in the head and I smack him back. We keep hitting each other playfully with our fishing poles, laughing the entire time, until we get to the City Circle, where we resume waving at the crowd and smiling so widely that I think my face is going to fall off.

The chariot stops not too far away from President Snow's mansion. The music ends and he steps out onto a balcony and welcomes all the tributes. Once or twice I catch him looking directly at me.

The anthem plays and I can see the cameras flashing through each one of the tributes. When the camera shows Keld and me, we look almost comical, but at the same time stunning in our wearable oceans.

The chariots make one more circle and the crowd cheers for us. By now they all know who I am. I'm not just the girl from District 4; I'm Annie, the silly, loveable, girl from the shores of District 4.

The doors to the Training Center open and our chariot wheels inside. Mags is babbling about how amazing we were, patting us on the back, helping us down from the chariot. Symone helps me out of my ocean shirt and I think I see the pair from District 6 giving me a death stare.

All of the tributes know that we're the District that the Capitol will be talking about tonight. I'm sure that a few of them are even plotting my death right now.

"You were great out there," says Keld, beaming at me. "So were you," I comment.

Again, I think of Rolf's axe sticking out of Elena's chest. The way he played her. Made her think that he was someone she could trust, and then killed her in cold blood. I look at Keld, who could kill me in a heartbeat if he felt like it.

As we walk into the elevator of the Training Center, I decide that from now on, I will be staying as far away as possible from Keld Bramson.


	3. Chapter 3

_Chapter 3_

We all cram into the crystal-walled elevator, my prep team chatting excitedly with Keld's. Roni's smile is so big that she looks as though she's on the brink of insanity. Mags presses the button with a _4_ on it and the elevator shoots up from the ground. I stumble, and someone's fingers lock around my wrist to keep me from falling. Looking down, I see that the hand belongs to Finnick. Instead of pulling away, I interlock my fingers with his, giving them a gentle squeeze before dropping my hand back down to my side.

The elevator stops at our district floor and I'm the last to step out. Roni leads Keld and me to our separate quarters, where we'll be staying until the Games start.

We stop at a door that's labeled _G. Tribute. _"Here's your room!" Roni trills. "Make yourself comfortable!" I thank her and then open the door. As I pull it shut behind me, I decide that maybe she's not so bad after all.

I fumble for the light switch in the dark. When I finally locate it, I'm taken aback by how huge my room is. It's at least three times as large as my train car and has more buttons than I have fingers to push. In the center is a huge bed littered with feathery pillows and blankets made of a silken fabric. The bathroom itself is as big as my room back in District 4. You have to climb a step to reach the bathtub, which is large enough for me to swim a full circle in. All sorts of buttons and knobs line the wall next to it, and they all produce a different type of soap or something to that effect.

The closet produces any outfit I want it to. For now, I pick a pair of comfortable blue jeans and a deep purple tunic.

I exit my room and pace the hallway outside until I stumble upon Mags. "There you are! I was just coming to get you," she says. Mags is a kind, intelligent woman with silvery hair that falls past her shoulders in graceful waves and warm green eyes that seem to be smiling, but she is not someone that you want to be angry with you. "Come on, it's time for dinner."

Mags leads me down the hall and to an open room with a long table in the center. The far wall is made of glass and has a wonderful view of the city. The only available seat is next to Keld Bramson, and I reluctantly take it.

A girl with wavy blonde hair dressed in white appears with a bottle of some sort of alchohol. I open my mouth to ask her what it is, but then I remember Finnick telling me about these silent people. Avoxes, people who are considered traitors to the Capitol, spend their lives as servants. Their tongues are cut out, rendering them unable to speak.

I look down in my lap and twist my fingers uncomfortably. When Finnick first told me about Avoxes, I had nightmares about having my tongue slowly cut out of my mouth for weeks. I don't know how the Capitol people can stand to look at them, knowing that something so barbaric had been done to them.

The girl finishes filling everyone's glass and stops at my side, holding the bottle with a questioning look on her face. "No, thank you. Can I just have some water?" I ask. The girl nods and gives a small bow before leaving the dining room.

"So, you two obviously do outstanding in front of crowds," says Finnick, "but how good are your survival skills?" The Avox girl returns and fills my glass with water. "Thanks," I say, taking a small sip from the glass. "I'm good with a spear," says Keld through mouthfuls of food. Finnick nods in approval, and then looks at me for my answer. "Ummm…" I begin, unsure of what to say. I've been dreading this part ever since my name was pulled out of the reaping bowl. "I can't really do anything," I say softly. Mags purses her lips together. "We'll have to see what we can do about that," she says.

The rest of dinner is spent in virtual silence, with only the clink of silverware against plates filling the air. Keld finishes and excuses himself from the table, and soon after he leaves I do the same.

I don't bother changing into pajamas once I'm in my room. I simply kick off my shoes and climb into bed, feeling frustrated but not knowing why. I don't fall asleep until at least three in the morning, but when I do all I have are nightmares of running through a forest until I trip and get twisted in a net of vines, and then Finnick spears me in the stomach with his trident.

I wake up to a frantic knocking on my door. Roni Salinas tells me it's time to get up. I look out the window. The sun is hanging lazily in the sky and a fine mist covers the city. It can't be much later than 8:30, which means I only got five hours of sleep. I grumble to myself about sleep deprivation as I pull on the outfit that has been laid out for me; black pants that are smooth to the touch, and a blue shirt with sleeves that stop just before my elbow. A white number 4 is written on the back and on my left sleeve. The boots are made of black leather and are easy to walk around in. I put my hair in a low ponytail and then I realize that my stomach is growling furiously.

I walk into the dining room and am pleased to find that the table is covered with food. Keld, whose outfit matches mine, is loading his plate with scrambled eggs and strips of bacon. Finnick and Mags are drinking coffee again, and Roni is taking dainty bites of toast. I sit down and start out by eating a plateful of eggs. I figure that I might as well put on a bit of weight before the Games start.

I eat four grapefruits and twice as many eggs as Keld before Roni announces that it's time to go downstairs to begin our training. My stomach feels as little uneasy as we follow her out of the dining room and enter the elevator. She presses a button and we zoom down to the training area. The doors open and reveal a huge gymnasium with all kinds of weapons and survival stations. About half of the other tributes are already standing in a circle around a tall woman with a nametag pinned to her chest that says in bold writing _HELLO, MY NAME IS ATALA._

Keld and I join the circle and wait impatiently for the other tributes to arrive. The last to join us are the pair from District 12, their skinny figures even more prominent in the skin-tight training outfits. Atala begins explaining the training to us. We can visit any of the stations we'd like, provided we don't practice on other tributes. She starts to blabber about each of the stations and I assess my fellow tributes. I'm built much like the other girls, maybe with less muscle, but nearly all of the boys have me beat in both height and demeanor. The boy from District one has sandy blonde hair that is cropped close to his scalp. He's attractive enough, with defined features and sparkling brown eyes. I notice that his gaze is fixated on me, and a smile plays on the corners of his lips. I shift my eyes downward and don't look up until Atala lets us begin.

I head directly for knife throwing, not even acknowledging Keld. I remember that smaller girls like myself in previous Hunger Games had a knack for this skill, so I figure that it's a good place to start. The trainer demonstrates how to hold the knife, and stresses that the trick is that it's all in the wrist. He focuses on a target, flicks his wrist, and the knife spins in the air until it lands right in the center of the target. He walks over and pulls the knife from the target and hands it to me. I wrap my hand around the handle, aim, and flick my wrist just as the trainer did. The knife clatters to the floor half a foot from the target. "Oh, don't worry. That wasn't so bad for your first time! You're just too far to the right," the trainer assures me, handing me another knife. It takes me a few dozen throws before I get the hang of it. The girl tribute from District 3 goes straight for a jagged knife and gets in position about ten feet from one of the three dummies at the station. She throws the knife and it lodges itself right between the eyes. She looks back at me with a smirk, clearly waiting for me to throw. I frown and pluck my knife from the target and move over to a dummy. I furrow my brows in concentration and hold the knife as the trainer instructed, then throw it. To my surprise, it leaves my hand with a bit of a spin on it and gets stuck in the dummy's neck. The girl's mouth drops in awe. I smile widely and leave the station, hoping that she doesn't figure out that I was actually aiming for the heart.

I spend the rest of the morning learning about survival skills, rather than focusing on weapons. A woman with mud smeared over her skin teaches me about camouflage. I learn a few basic snares, some for animals, others for humans. I skip the fishing station and am just being taught about edible plants when Atala calls us together for lunch.

I fill my plate with various foods from the carts around the room when someone taps my shoulder. I turn around and see Keld. "What do you want?" I ask a little too harshly. "A few of the other tributes invited me to sit with them, and they said that you could come too if you'd like," he explains, jabbing his thumb over to a table crammed with tributes from Districts 1 through 3. Of course. These are what other districts often refer to as the Careers. Tributes from the first four Districts are generally better fed and a bit more skilled in the arts of weaponry than the rest of Panem. Usually they team up, and the victor is more than likely going to be one of them. But why would they want me?

After pondering it for a while, I nod. "Okay, sure," I say. Keld leads me to the table and motions for me to sit in the seat next to him. On my right is the girl that I met at knife throwing. She flips her wavy blonde hair over her shoulders and makes a point to scoot her chair a few inches away from mine. "Everyone, this is Annie, my district partner," Keld announces. "Ah, Annie. I thought that was your name," says the boy from District 1. "I'm Marcus, and this is Ruby. She's from District 1, too." The girl next to him smiles weakly. Her brown hair falls in ringlets down to her waist, and her eyes are the color of a clear afternoon sky.

I do a quick survey of the table. The boy from two has curly black hair that stops just above his brows. His district partner, who tells me her name is Athena, has a pointed face and highly arched brows that give her an elven appearance. A well-built boy from District 3 introduces himself as Brandon and the girl from the knife throwing station as Piper.

As I stuff myself, the table is filled with chatter about strategies and gossip about other tributes. Atala claps her hands together and tells us to get back to work. I get up and leave before one of them can ask me to train with them.

I cross the gymnasium and attend a lesson on shelter. I construct myself a small lean-to from branches, mud, and leaves that's just big enough for me to curl up in and be safe from rain and detection of other tributes. Satisfied, I leave the station and decide to try out some weapons again. I look around and settle on sword fighting. There are always a couple of swords in the arena.

I can barely lift the shortest sword, let alone swing it. I have little luck with the dummy, sure, I can slash its stomach open, which would make anyone bleed to death, but I'm so sluggish that a real human would be able to dodge my attack. To my dismay, Marcus joins my side and decapitates the dummy with ease. He slashes at the dummy, handling the sword perfectly, and strikes up a conversation. "So, Annie. Listen. Me and a few of the other tributes have been talking, and we want you to be our ally," he says casually.

I stop studying his movements and instead study his face. He doesn't seem to be bluffing. "Why me?" I ask. Marcus stops slaughtering the dummy and lifts his fingers to my face and I resist the temptation to flinch as he tucks a loose piece of hair behind my ear, just as Finnick has so many times before. "With those looks, you'll be getting all kinds of sponsors. We could use someone that will have… outside resources," he says, his voice now dropped down to a whisper. I press my lips together and look at my feet, then back up at Marcus, whose face holds a questioning expression. I shy away from his hand and cross my arms. I hold out my sword and he takes it from me. "I'll think about it," I say, and then I leave before he can respond.

I scan the gym and spot Keld at spear throwing. I consider joining him, but think better of it and instead go to fishing. The trainer lifts her brows when she sees the four on my arm, but shrugs and teaches me how to make a fishing spear, which I copy flawlessly. When Atala announces that it's time to go back up to our district floors, I pick up Keld from spear throwing and we cram into the elevator with the tributes from Districts 2 and 3. The doors close behind the District 3 tributes and I immediately turn to Keld. "Do they seriously want us for allies?" I ask. Keld shrugs. "I don't know. They say they do, but I'm not quite sure. Marcus was impressed by my spear throwing, and he didn't really say anything about you, other than he wanted you to tag along," Keld explains. The elevator opens and we step out into the floor, where our mentors await us, stopping the conversation short.

Finnick asks us seemingly endless questions. What we did, who watched us, who did we sit with at lunch. Luckily Keld answers everything for me as I stare at the floor in silence. When Finnick realizes he's not going to get anything else out of us, he sighs and leaves us alone, reminding us that dinner is at six o' clock.

"Are you going to join them?" I ask. "I'm not sure," Keld responds. I bite my lip. Already I'm breaking the promise I made to myself that I'd ignore him. "I'm not like my brother," says Keld, as though he can read my mind. "I'm not the kind of person that goes back on their word. When I say that you can trust me, I mean it," he says quickly. We stop walking and I find that we're in front of the door to my room. "Do you? Trust me, I mean," asks Keld.

Slowly, I nod my head. Relief floods over Keld's face. "Good, because I trust you," he says, and then he leaves to his own room and shuts the door.

I stand in the hall for a while, resisting the urge to bang my head against the wall. I've just bought myself a ticket to death. What was I thinking? Of course I don't trust him! How could I?

The thought occurs to me that he hasn't given me any reason not to. He's been nice enough, and his act on the chariot definitely earned me some popularity points. But the image of Elena's mangled body being lifted into the hovercraft, Rolf's axe still sticking out of her chest, keeps making an appearance.

I slip into my room and shed my clothing onto the floor. I fill the bathtub with warm water and add in oil with a light floral scent. The tension in my muscles eases immediately as I lower myself into the water. I scrub my skin until it's raw then shampoo and condition my hair. I leave the bath feeling much calmer than before, and I walk out into my room and program the closet to produce an outfit to wear to dinner. A long, light blue skirt with lace at the bottom that resembles one I have at home. A simple white cotton shirt. Comfortable sandals. I take a look in the mirror. The conditioner has left my hair much straighter than normal, and dark circles are beginning to form beneath my eyes. I look nothing like the Annie I know.

The digital clock on the wall tells me that dinner is in ten minutes. I make my way to the dining room and for once, I'm the first to arrive. The blonde haired Avox from last night is lighting a candle in the middle. "Do I need to wait for the others or can I just start eating?" I ask. She nods and bows before leaving me to myself.

I put a large helping of mashed potatoes and a piece of steak on my plate. I drown the potatoes in gravy and start eating. Roni walks in as I'm chewing on a crescent roll. "So, how did your first day go?" she asks as she fills a bowl with beef stew. I shrug and sip at my orange juice.

Mags enters the room, with Finnick trailing behind her. The four of us eat in silence until Keld shows up. As soon as he sits down, Mags begins talking. "We've worked out a system for you two. Keld, I'll be coaching you, and Finnick will be coaching Annie, and that's final," she says sternly, although neither of us has even thought of objecting. "Now, tell me, in detail, what did you do today?"

Keld, it turns out, spent the whole day learning about weapons. He dedicated much of the afternoon to spear throwing, and the trainer was thoroughly impressed with him. While Mags inquires him about his interactions with other tributes, Finnick starts talking to me. "What'd you do?" he asks. I explain to him in detail about my knife throwing, right down to the shock on Piper's face. When I tell him that I went to the edible plants station, he asks me to name a few, which I am able to do with little complications.

"And lunch? Who'd you sit with?" asks Finnick. "Keld and I sat with the tributes from Districts 1, 2, and 3. That girl from the knife throwing station, Piper, she moved away from me when I sat down. I think she has it out for me," I say. "Probably," Finnick confirms. "You should probably keep out of her way." He pauses to take a slice of chocolate cake that an Avox has just set on the table. "Anything else big happen?" he asks.

"Marcus, the guy from one, he said that he and some of the other tributes wanted me and Keld their allies. He came over when I was trying out swords, which didn't go well, by the way." Finnick stops mid-bite. "What did you say?" he asks through his mouthful of cake. "I told him that I'll think about it," I say. He nods and wipes his mouth with his napkin. "Was he good with swords?" he asks. "Very," I reply. Finnick leans back in his chair and chews on his lip as he thinks. "You should join him. From what you've told me, that group seems like they can keep you safe for a while," he says. He looks at Keld and then back at me. I nod in understanding. Anything else we say will have to be in private.

I finish eating and bid everyone goodnight. As I leave, I hear Finnick excusing himself as well. He enters the hallway and we walk to my room in silence. "Are you sure you being in here won't make things worse?" I whisper. He shakes his head. "This isn't personal, it's a tribute and mentor thing," he replies, closing the door behind him.

I sit down on the edge of my bed and Finnick paces the room. "Keld will be joining them, that's for sure. If he doesn't, they'll just take him out because he's a definite threat to them." He stops pacing and sits down next to me. "You either have to join them or hide from them," he says. "Marcus touched me," I say. Finnick springs up. "He _what?_" he practically hisses. "No, not like that!" I exclaim. "He just touched my face. Said that with my looks, I'll be getting lots of sponsors," I say. Finnick sighs in relief and sits next to me again. "Good, because I would've killed him had he… you know," says Finnick.

We're quiet for a minute or two. "Should I still be their allies?" I ask. Finnick nods. "If Keld goes with them, then yes. I have a feeling that he'll turn out to be like Rolf," he says. My eyes widen in horror. "Not the killing you part, the protecting you part. If it gets down to it you might have to take him out, but I truly believe that he'll be much more of a gentleman than his brother," he finishes.

When Finnick leaves, I change into whatever pajamas that my closet gets for me. I crawl into bed, and as I fall asleep I think that I'd rather Keld kill me a thousand times over before I would lose my humanity and kill him.


	4. Chapter 4

_Chapter Four_

The next day is exhausting. I put all my strength into training. Marcus is pleased to hear that I'm willing to be his ally, and he immediately assigns me a training partner for a few different skills. Athena is something of an expert when it comes to archery, so she gives me a few pointers that the trainer doesn't mention. "Always aim for places higher than the waist," she says, sending her arrow directly into the dummy's heart. "Those are almost guaranteed kills."

When I try to skewer an arrow through the dummy's chest, it just gets stuck in the wall behind it, so Athena sends me to Brandon, who is waiting to teach me about handling axes.

Brandon hands me an axe and I almost collapse at the weight. He smirks as I lift it with shaky arms. "Good. Now hit the dummy," he says. I look at him defiantly and swing the weapon with all my might. The axe sticks in the dummy's torso with a satisfying thud. "Not bad. Take it out and do it again," Brandon instructs. I pull on the axe handle, but it doesn't budge. I grip it firmly between both hands and tug. Brandon starts to laugh as I yank at the axe, and I have half a mind to cut his head off right now. That is, if I ever get this stupid thing out of the dummy.

I prop my foot on the dummy's thigh and push off. I fall to the ground, axe in hand. Brandon is laughing so hard that every single tribute is staring at me. I can feel blood rushing to my cheeks as I shove the axe into his waiting hands.

When lunch finally arrives, my muscles are screaming in protest and my head is pounding with a fierce headache. All I can do is pick at my food and rub my temples while the other tributes at my table babble about their mornings.

"What do you think, Annie?" asks Marcus. I look up from my soup. "Huh?" I say, bewildered. "About the pair from 11. What do you think about them?" Marcus points to them, sitting at a table across the lunchroom, laughing quietly as they eat their sandwiches.

I examine them. I remember the girl from the reaping, with her warm brown skin and dark curly hair. She's built much better than most of the other girls, and she still looks a little too mischievous for my liking. The boy is something of a monster. He must have at least a hundred pounds on me, with his height and muscle.

I shrug. "I think the girl is much more of a concern. She looks much smarter than the other one," I say, twirling my straw in my juice. Marcus nods, a smile forming on his lips. "That's what I thought too."

Before he can ask me anything else, Atala announces that our lunch break is over and it's time to get back to training. I head over to fire building, where the trainer sets me to work with a flint, some dried leaves, and a small pile of wood. I struggle with the fire for twenty minutes before a set of arms wrap around me from behind and take the flint from my fingers. Marcus. "You're not striking it quickly enough," he says, his voice just barely audible. I watch as he strikes the flint again and again, and soon a shower of sparks erupts and the wood catches on fire.

I squirm away from him and leave the station. Marcus catches up to me quickly. "Want me to teach you a thing or two about swords?" he asks. A sigh bubbles to my lips. I'm not getting rid of him any time soon, so I might as well learn something while he's here. "Yeah, sure," I say. Marcus smiles, and I can't help but think that he's not too bad looking. Then I remember that he probably already has a plan to kill me, so I dismiss the thought.

We reach the sword station and Marcus finds me a short sword with a thinner blade compared to the others. It's much lighter than the one I used yesterday, and I can actually lift it. Marcus chooses a much larger sword with a broad blade and wields it with ease. "Think of the sword as an extension of your arm," he says, positioning himself in front of a dummy. He stands with his legs slightly apart, one foot in front of the other, and holds out his arms, ready to strike. Then, as quick as lightning, he beheads the dummy, and it clatters to the floor.

I try to copy his stance, legs apart, bend forward just a tiny bit. I hold the sword out in front of me and imagine it fused to my hand. I tear open the canvas of the dummy's chest. The force of my blow makes me stumble a little, but I catch my balance. I look at Marcus for an evaluation. "That's pretty good for your first time," he says. "We won't really need you to attack much; you just need to be able to defend yourself." He says this in a way that makes me feel like a child being told what they can and can't do, and it sets my teeth on edge. My cheeks flush with color. Frustrated, I jam my sword in the dummy's chest. Right through the heart.

Marcus raises his eyebrows. I pull my sword from the dummy, my gaze never diverting from his. I don't say anything as I walk away, but my message is clear: _Don't underestimate me._

That evening after dinner, Finnick comes to my room again. "How was training?" he asks. "Alright, I guess," I say, crossing the room to order some food from the microphone built into the wall. I order a bowl of broth and then sit back down next to Finnick with my legs tucked underneath me. "Marcus had the District 2 girl give me an archery lesson. I wasn't very good at it," I say.

"Did you learn anything else?"

"I made a complete idiot of myself trying to throw axes."

"You're that bad?"

"Shut up, Finn."

"I was kidding."

"I know."

My broth arrives and Finnick brings it to me. I sip at it quietly for a few minutes. "How did lunch go?" he asks. "I just sort of sat there. I had a headache," I say. "And after lunch?" asks Finnick. "I built a fire. Then Marcus helped me with sword training," I say. "How did that go?"

I sigh and run my fingers through my hair. "I went all drama queen on him. He was treating me like… like a pet or something, and I just lost my temper. Stabbed a dummy through the heart," I explain. This makes Finnick laugh. I shoot him a dirty look. "What?" he says innocently. "You put him in his place. Serves him right." I roll my eyes and set the bowl of broth on the nightstand next to my bed. "I'm just afraid he'll see me as a threat now," I confess. Finnick waves his hand dismissively. "He just has all the more reason to keep you as an ally," he says. I chew on my lower lip. I really don't have the energy or time to speculate on Marcus's thoughts of me, so I drop the subject.

"What are you going to do for your private session with the Gamemakers?" asks Finnick. I smack myself in the forehead. How could I have forgotten? During lunch on the last day of training, each tribute will be pulled for a fifteen minute session to show the Gamemakers what you're made of. Then each of us will be given a score on a scale of one to ten to reflect how we did, since what happens in that session is not revealed to the public. Sponsors usually fund the high scoring tributes, and don't bother wasting their precious time or money on the ones that score anything lower than a five.

Finnick is looking at me. He wants an answer. "Uh. I don't know? Throw knives and hope I get lucky? Maybe slash some stuff?" Finnick nods slowly. "That's a good a plan as any," he says. He gets up to leave. "Hey, Finn?" I say as he's about to turn the door handle. Finnick looks back at me. "I'm sorry I'm not trying harder," I say quietly, looking down at my hands.

Finnick's hand drops to his side. He kneels down in front of me. "Annie, listen to me. Don't you dare be sorry. All of this is my fault. Actually, no. It's no one's fault. It's the Capitol's fault. Never forget that. Okay?" he says so quickly and quietly that I have trouble catching every word. I give him the smallest nod of my head. "Do you understand me?" he asks. Again, I nod. Finnick takes my hand and looks at me with such intensity that I feel like he's staring right into my soul. "Do you understand me?" he repeats. "Yes. Yes I understand," I say.

His grip on my hand relaxes, his face softens. "Good," he says. "Good." Finnick stands up. "Focus on knife-throwing tomorrow. You'll need it if you want to get a decent score," he suggests. "Okay," I say. "Okay," he confirms. Then he leaves.

I take a long bath and come out smelling like oranges. On the bathroom counter is something I hadn't noticed before: my seashell barrette. Symone must have had someone put it there after the Opening Ceremonies. I clutch the clip tightly in my hands and think of my mother. It helps me relax.

I slip a nightgown over my head and climb into bed. When I fall asleep, I have a terrible nightmare where each tribute takes turns in slicing off small chunks of my skin, until I'm just a bloody body writhing on the ground. I wake covered in sweat and look out the window. The sun is just rising over the Capitol. There's no use in trying to sleep again, so I bathe once more, dress in my training outfit, and lay on my bed until it's time to eat.

Breakfast is spent in silence. The past three days have really taken their toll on Keld and me. Our eyes are rimmed with dark circles and although we've gotten a little stronger, it's obvious in the way we move that we're sore. Not even Finnick is talking, just picking at his **omelet**, never looking up from his plate. Roni walks in late, grabs a piece of toast, and says through a full mouth, "Let's go! We're running late!"

Keld and I follow her to the elevator and she rides with us on the way down to the gymnasium. She pats our heads like we're dogs and wishes us luck in our private sessions, and then she zips back up to the district floor.

I walk straight to knife throwing and throw until my arms hurt. Only thirty-seven of the eighty-nine shots I take go where I want them to. Before I can improve my aim, Atala is calling us to lunch. I eat a sandwich while tributes are called to their private sessions. The people at our table exchange tense nods as each name is called. Since we're called in order of our districts, soon just Keld and I remain. He stares at his water glass intently. Someone calls his name and he stands. "Hey, um, good luck," I say quietly. Keld nods. "You too," he says, and then he walks back into the gymnasium, where the Gamemakers await him.

As I wait, I throw pretend knives at the wall, practicing the right way to flick my wrist. Too soon, someone's saying my name. I stand up and throw my shoulders back, lift my chin, and walk into the gymnasium.

The Gamemakers are chattering loudly when I enter. They eat many foods that I don't recognize from a banquet table. I stand awkwardly in front of them and try to smile. "Annie Cresta, correct?" asks the Head Gamemaker. I nod. He leans forward to examine me. He waves his hand to the weapons, an obvious indicator that I should begin.

First, I drag a dummy that hasn't been skewered or slashed yet to the center of the gymnasium so the Gamemakers can see me better. I pick up a few of the knives I've been practicing with, and grab the short sword Marcus had me use in case they get bored. I stand about six feet from the dummy and throw a knife. It lands in the shoulder, inches from the heart, which I was aiming for. To make it seem like I intended to throw it there, I aim for the other shoulder, and to my surprise, it makes it.

I take a few steps back, pick a serrated knife and this time, I aim for the head. The knife lands a little to the right of where the nose on a person would be. Again and again I throw, hitting areas that would cause some pretty nasty injuries, until the dummy has a dozen knives sticking out of it. I quickly pull out the knives and set them on the floor, and then start to use the sword. I slash an X in the dummy's chest, and then cut its throat. When I stab the dummy through the heart, a few people even clap. I pull out the sword and look at them. "Thank you, Annie. You may go now," says the Head Gamemaker. I whisper a small thanks and dart out of the gymnasium.

I tap my foot impatiently as the elevator rises to the fourth floor. The doors open and Finnick is waiting for me. "So, how did it go?" he asks. I shrug my shoulders. "Could've been better. Could've been worse," I say. When I look down at my hands, I see that they're shaking violently. I twist them together to keep them still. "Are you alright? You look a little green," says Finnick. I put one hand to my forehead to find that it's covered in cold sweat. "I'm fine. That was just a little nerve-racking," I reply. "You should probably go lay down," Finnick suggests. I nod and he leads me to my room. Once I'm inside, I kick off my training boots and fall asleep as soon as my head hits the pillow.

A few hours later, Roni bursts into my room, screaming for me to get up so we can view the scores. She continues to shout at me as I move around the room sluggishly, and doesn't even turn away when I change out of my training outfit. It takes me just over four minutes to get ready, and Roni insists that I had better hurry up right now or I won't have a chance to see the other tribute's scores. I know that they'll be re-running the scores all night and consider telling her this, but given her mood, I rule against it.

Finnick, Keld, and Mags are scrunched up on a couch near a television. Roni pulls up a chair for herself, so I'm left to wedge myself between Keld and Finnick. "You'll do fine," Finnick assures me.

I clutch the fabric of the couch in my fingers as the Capitol seal flashes across the screen. They'll show a picture of the tribute, and then give them a score. That's it. Marcus's picture pops up first, since he's the boy from District 1, and he gets a 10. I start to feel dizzy. Next is Ruby, who earns herself an 8. Districts 2 and 3 flash past, and then comes District 4. Keld's picture is accompanied by a 9. Then mine, with a seven. A seven!

My hand curls around Finnick's wrist. "I got a seven," I say, as if to tell myself it's true. "I got a seven," I repeat. Finnick grins widely for a moment, but then turns his attention back to the screen. The girl from 11 that I was worried about scores ten. I learn her name is Alexandra. Both tributes from District 12 get threes, and then the program ends.

I am unable to speak. I was expecting maybe a four or five, but s_even? _That's better than I could have ever hoped for. Keld seems unphased by his score. He's busy scribbling down names and scores on a pad of paper and chattering quietly with Mags.

"You know, if we're going to be allies, we'd best act like it," I say before I can stop myself. Everyone in the room stares at me. My hands fly to my mouth. I look around, a deer caught in headlights. Keld does something I don't expect: he laughs. He puts the paper with the names and scores scribbled on it in my lap. "Sorry," he says. "You're right, we're a team here." Mags nods her head. "I say the more you two tell each other, the better. Find out one another's weaknesses and strengths, and if you work together you might even be able to set out on your own without the big guy from One," she says.

"Mags is right, but you should stick with Marcus. Just for a while, at least," Finnick interjects. "I wouldn't put it past him to try and get rid of you if you're not on his team." He stands and pushes a button on a remote to summon an Avox. "Tell you what, Mags and I will leave you two can strategize on your own, and you can tell us all about it in the morning." A brown-haired Avox girl enters the room. "Would you mind getting these two some dinner?" asks Finnick. The Avox nods and dashes off to get Keld and me some food. She and two boys return with trays and plates of food. The boys set a tray and a plate in front of each of us, and the girl hands Mags and Finnick glasses of champagne. The Avoxes bow and disappear.

Finnick takes a long swig of his champagne. "Well," he says, flinging his arm around Mags's shoulder, "Mags has the privilege of accompanying me out to dinner." Mags snorts. "Don't flatter yourself, Odair." Finnick leads Mags out of the room. "Have fun!" he calls out, and then they're gone.


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: Sorry it's been so long since I've updated! I've been so busy. It's show choir competition month. Anyhow, I'd love to tell you that updates will be coming faster, but the spring play has just started, and that will be taking up a lot of my time. I'm determined to finish this though, so don't worry. It might be a while between chapters, but I assure you, they'll get posted (eventually...)

Thanks for all your support so far! I'm glad you like it :)

_Chapter Five_

"So," Keld begins through a mouthful of potato, "What are you good at?" I poke my baked potato with my fork. "I'm okay at throwing knives," I say. "Is that what you did for the Gamemakers?" he asks. I nod. The room is silent for a moment while we chew. "I can throw spears pretty well," says Keld. A slight grin spreads across my face. "Obviously."

I sip at my water- the Avoxes must remember my distaste for champagne- while Keld pores over his notes on the other tributes. "What do you think of our allies?" I ask. "Marcus isn't the one that scares me the most. He's strong, yes, and very smart, but he's slow. Did you see him run the courses? He was tripping over his feet the whole time," says Keld. I try to remember if I ever saw Marcus run, and now that I think about it, he was very clumsy. "Ruby, the girl from two, she's wicked with swords. She uses two of the shorter ones and could kill you in seconds. I wouldn't keep your back turned to her."

Keld, as it turns out, is a better mentor than Finnick. While I don't doubt that Finn would do anything in his power to keep me alive, he hasn't seen the other tributes, spent time with them, discovered their weaknesses. Not like Keld.

I wonder what his motives are. Is he gaining my trust, only to break our alliance later on? Has Marcus put him up to this? Or does he honestly want to help me? I envision each of these scenarios. More often than not, they end in my death.

"Annie?" I realize I've been twisting and untwisting my fingers, the way I do when I'm nervous or thinking very hard. I stop immediately. "Sorry. I zoned out. What were you talking about?" I ask. "District 3. Thoughts?" I shrug. "Mind handing me your notes?" I ask. Keld hands them over. I study them carefully, trying to put names to faces. "Piper," I say with venom in my voice. "She could cut you into little pieces. Flay you. She'd make your death long and excruciating."

"If she doesn't stick a knife in your head first," Keld interjects. "She gave me a lesson. She's pretty frightening." I nod in agreement. "We'd better stay out of her way," he says. We. As if we're a team. Are we?

"I'm more worried about that girl from 11. What was her name?" I ask. "Alexandra, I think. She could name at least twenty different poisonous plants." Keld shudders. "She knew what they did, too. Some make your throat swell shut. Others burn your skin. There's this berry, I don't remember what it was called, but it kills you the second you swallow it," he says.

Keld turns his attention back to his dinner. What more is there to discuss? In just two days, we could be dead. And although neither of us wants to say it, chances are that neither of us will make it home alive.

"Are you scared?" I ask. "No, not at all." Keld pauses to drink some champagne, and then continues: "Do you know why I volunteered?" I shake my head. A sad smile crosses Keld's lips. "See, my brother, Rolf, he won over the Capitol's hearts with his charming good looks. Particularly the women's," he begins.

"President Snow prostituted him," Keld says, a hint of shame in his voice. "He was sixteen." My heart flutters. I think of Finnick, who comes home from the Games looking more and more like a zombie each year. "Snow came to me, about a year ago, and… and he told me that if I didn't do it too, he'd kill my family." Keld's breath catches in his throat, and a tear starts making its way down his cheek. He wipes it away, and then continues. "I couldn't let him hurt them, Annie. Especially not my baby sister. God, if he makes her do it too, I swear…"

"He also threatened to kill my girlfriend. Did you know her? Her name was Polly, Polly Mason. She had the most beautiful smile, and eyes like the ocean, and her hair curled like a princess'," says Keld.

I remember Polly, and her perfect princess curls that everyone envied. I even attended her funeral. She died in a terrible boating accident. There wasn't even anything left to bury.

"I felt like an item, not a person. Except when I was with Polly. She lit up my whole world, made me feel alive again…" he smiles a little, as if he's remembering the time spent with her. "But one day, I said 'No' to this very important woman from the Capitol. Word got to President Snow, and the next thing I knew, Polly's body was ripped to shreds by a motor on her family's fishing boat."

"Finnick was big in the… business. A-and when I saw how _scared_ he was when you were reaped, I knew," Keld says. "Knew what?" I ask, my voice barely above a whisper. "You're the one that makes him feel like a person, Annie," Keld says.

"So when they asked for volunteers, I did it without a second thought. If you die, Finnick will always be an item, and then Snow will win." I look at Keld. It hurts to see him so broken, so damaged, and he's only fifteen. "I couldn't let him win, Annie," he whispers.

When sobs start to rip through Keld's body, I reach over and put my arms around him, feeling guilty that I ever doubted him.

Three hours later, Finnick and Mags still haven't returned. Keld excused himself to his room long ago, leaving me to mull over his words. I wonder how many women would actually sleep with a fourteen year old. Judging from Keld's story, there must have been a lot.

I leave the living room where I've been watching reruns of the past few days, and walk to my own quarters. I've lost track of how many times I've seen myself being reaped, how many times I've watched Keld volunteer, knowing that he wasn't going to make it out of the arena.

A bath seems like a fantastic idea right now. I fill the tub with warm, bubbly water and get in, sighing as the water encircles me. I close my eyes and pretend that I'm floating in District 4's warm currents, with my mother by my side, splashing me playfully. I wonder how she's been holding up. I will her to know that I'm alright, that I have people looking out for me, that I may be coming home to her, alive and well.

Somehow I must have gotten in bed, because the next thing I know, I'm waking up to Roni Salinas banging her fist on my door, yelling at me to get up.

I dress in the outfit someone has laid out for me and go to breakfast. Finnick is the only one already at the table, stuffing himself with crepes. "Good morning," I say with a yawn. Finnick smiles, his cheeks filled with food. I laugh before taking the seat across from him. "Try one, they're delicious," he says. I put one on my plate and eat a forkful. The rich taste of strawberries and something sweet I don't quite recognize fills my mouth. "Mmmm," I mumble contentedly. "It's chocolate. Good, huh?" I nod and add another crepe to my plate, along with a banana and a helping of scrambled eggs.

We eat quietly for a while until Mags enters with Keld by her side. His eyes are rimmed with red. I hope he didn't spend all night crying.

He sits next to me and wordlessly begins to fill his plate. I want to let him know that he's not alone, that everything will be okay, but if I did that, I'd be lying.

Roni breaks the silence by shouting, "Gooooood morning everyone!" A mumble of greeting rings through the table, and she begins running her mouth. "I hope you all slept well, because you've got a huge day ahead of you. Interviews are tomorrow, and then the day after Keld and Annie will be going into the arena, so we've got to make sure that they are as ready as can be!" she says a little too enthusiastically.

_The day after tomorrow? _Have the days really been going by so quickly? Wasn't I safe at home in District 4 just one week ago?

If Roni could shove breakfast down our throats, I'm sure she would. She sits at the end of the table, sipping at coffee, tapping her foot impatiently while we eat. As soon as Mags swallows her last bite, Roni shoots up and claps her hands together. "Okay! So first things first: Keld and Annie, you'll be coming with me for a while to work on your presentation. Then you'll each go with your mentors and figure out what your angle will be," she trills. She holds mine and Keld's hands like we're little kids and drags us out of the dining room.

Roni teaches us all the different kinds of smiles: a crowd-winning smile, a shy smile, a grateful smile. Just as I'm sure my face will be stuck in a smile forever, she announces that it's time to move on to posture. She sticks me in a pair of high heels and demonstrates how to walk in them. Keld sits on the couch and watches me struggle in the shoes, doing a horrible job of stifling his laughter. Again and again I cross the room, until Roni announces that my last walk-through was simply _perfect,_ and then she makes me do it three more times before she begins working on Keld.

His posture lesson is much less involved. Roni makes him stand straight, and then she positions his arms and shoulders until she's happy. "Hips forward a little! No, that's too much, a little less- ah! There you go!" she says. Keld has to walk the length of the room a few times before she instructs him to sit down.

Sitting, as it turns out, is much more excruciating than walking. "For the last time, Annie, _don't slump your shoulders!"_ Roni barks, forcing my body into a board-like position. "Cross your ankles and keep your hands in your lap. Dainty, like a princess." She lifts my chin with her fingers, tells me to smile, and says, "Now introduce yourself to the crowd." I take a deep breath, give the biggest smile I can muster, and say, "Hi! I'm Annie Cresta from District 4!" Roni slaps her forehead with her palm and shakes her head hopelessly. She makes me say the phrase three dozen times before she's satisfied.

I'm slightly infuriated when Roni compliments Keld on his impeccable ability to woo a crowd. Sure, I'm sweet enough, she says, but apparently I'm just too shy. I cross my arms over my chest, slump into the couch, and ignore Roni as she has Keld introduce himself over and over again.

When our session is over, Keld and I dash out of the room before Roni can decide to keep us longer. Lunch is waiting for us, along with Finnick and Mags. When we're finished eating, Mags drags Keld off somewhere and leaves Finnick and I alone for the first time in days.

There's no time to chat, though. He sits in the chair next to me and just stares at me for a while.

"Finn?"

"Hmm."

"What are you doing?"

"Staring at you."

"Quit being a sarcastic idiot. Really, what are you doing?"

"Trying to figure out an angle for you. Now be quiet."

A few minutes later, Finnick snaps up. "Got it. You're a sweet, adorable, lovable girl who is _tremendously_ excited for the opportunity to participate in the Hunger Games," he says without missing a beat. I blink stupidly. "How-?" Finnick smirks. "Years of practice." He leans back in his chair and studies me for a moment longer before flashing me a huge smile. "So, Annie," he says in a near-perfect imitation of the tribute interviewer, Caesar Flickerman, "How has the Capitol been treating you?"

A fit of giggles erupts from me. I quickly compose myself and try to give Finncik a serious answer. "Oh, Fi-_Caesar, _it's been so amazing," I say, putting emphasis on my words. "The food is great, the people are great, everything is just _great!"_ I give a crowd-winning smile like Effie showed me. "Isn't it? Now, do tell me, what's life like back in District 4?"

I have to think about that one. "Well, I went swimming every day. It's so much fun. It's such a pity that people in other districts don't have the ocean to swim in. All that gorgeous blue water, as far out as you can see… It's absolutely breathtaking," I gush.

Finnick carries on with the mock-interview for hours. He asks all kinds of questions, from "What's your strategy?" to "What's your favorite color?" By the time he's finished, I'm exhausted from smiling and babbling so much.

Mags and Keld enter the dining room as we're starting on the roast chicken an Avox had brought in. Finnick greets them by ripping a hunk of meat off the leg he's been eating. "Charming," says Mags. She and Keld sit across from us and begin to eat as well.

After dinner, I head off to my room and craw into bed without changing out of my clothes. The day has made me weary, and the nights that I'll be sleeping soundly are limited, so I fall asleep almost instantly.

I awaken the next morning to someone gently shaking my shoulders. "Wake up sleepy head," she says. "Mmm," I mumble, but then I recognize her. "Symone!" I shout happily. She laughs lightly. "Good morning. The prep team is in the bathroom, they're waiting for you. Go see them when you're ready," says Symone. "I'll be back with something for you to eat."

When the door closes behind her, I shove the covers off and enter the bathroom. "Oh, Annie, you're going to look so gorgeous when we're done with you!" Flora exclaims. "Yes, she is. Now come on, dear, into the tub," says Lucas.

After I undress and get in the tub, Morgana begins to scrub my body with a large brush. When she's done with that, she starts working on my hair. As she does this, Lucas and Flora start shaping my nails, which the polish from the Opening Ceremonies has long since chipped off.

It isn't long before Flora drains the tub and helps me out. After I dry off, she dresses me in a bathrobe and leads me out of the bathroom.

Someone has brought what looks like a beauty salon on wheels into my room. "It's easier to bring the makeup to you rather than taking you over to the Remake Center," Lucas explains. He sits me down on a little stool, ties my hair away from my face, and starts to transform me.

I'm not completely aware of what is being done to my body. Lucas jabs me in the eye twice with mascara. Flora paints my nails. At some point, Morgana pulls the robe from my body and starts to glue rhinestones onto my skin.

When Symone enters with my dress, Lucas makes me close my eyes. I stand and hold my arms over my head as Symone slips it over my head. She helps me into my shoes, which aren't high-heeled in the slightest. So much for all my walking lessons yesterday.

"Alright, open them," Symone says. I open my eyes and gasp. I appear to have just walked out of the ocean. The sleeveless dress clings to my waist, skims over my hips, and stops just past my knees. It's white at the top, and then fades to a light blue, getting darker and darker until it's the color of the deep waters of the ocean. When I sway from side to side, a ripple goes through the fabric, making it look like I am a beach and the dress is a shimmering wave crashing against me.

My hair is done similarly to the way it was during the opening ceremonies: bouncing curls with sparkles and strands of silver and blue, accented with tiny seashells. It's pinned away from my face on the right side with my seashell barrette. My eyes look wide and bright, and my lips are gleaming with a sheer pink gloss.

"Wow," Flora finally says. Lucas and Morgana nod slowly. I'm too awestruck to say anything. Just then, Finnick walks in. "You look stunning," he says, making me blush like crazy.

"Mind if I have a chat with Annie before the interviews?" Symone and my prep team wish me luck and then leave the room.

Finnick walks over to me and starts to rub my shoulders. "You're freezing," he says. I swat away his hands. "You'll mess up the gems," I say quietly. Finnick seems to contemplate this for a moment. "Well then, I guess I'll just have to hold your hands." He takes my left hand and starts to rub it between his own two.

"Nervous?" Finnick asks. I shrug my shoulders. "You're a good coach. I think I'm ready," I say, although I can't hide the quavering in my voice. Of course I'm nervous. What I say tonight will be broadcasted all over Panem, and it will determine who will- and won't- sponsor me.

"Did Snow really sell Keld, like he sold you?" I ask. Finnick slowly nods. "He's so young," I sigh. He wipes away the tears that have begun to fall down my face. "Oh, Annie," he says. I take a shaky breath and compose myself. "It's not fair," I whisper. Finnick holds out his arms and I walk into them. "It's never fair," he says, kissing the top of my head.

I close my eyes and breathe in his scent. His suit still smells like the salty ocean. It makes me think of all those afternoons spent lying on the beach, the waves tickling our toes. My body relaxes a little.

"Trust me, you'll do fine," he says. I open my eyes and stare into Finnick's. "I trust you," I say.

Before I know it, it's time to go and Finnick is leading me out of my room and to the elevator. Roni Salinas is, believe it or not, very drunk. She holds a glass of red wine in one hand, and the other is slung around Lucas, who looks very uncomfortable. Keld is dressed in a black suit with a deep blue tie. He looks at me and gives a reassuring nod. His eyes fall to my hand, which I just now remember is entwined with Finnick's. I untwist my fingers from his and look down, feeling blood rush to my cheeks once again.

We pile into the elevator and it whisks us to the bottom of the Training Center. The doors open and reveal the tributes from Districts one through three lined up, first the girl tribute and then the boy of each District, ready to take the stage. Keld takes his place behind me and taps my shoulder. "You look amazing," he says, smiling. "Thanks," I manage to choke out.

The remaining tributes line up behind us and then we're mounting the stage. We sit in order and Caesar Flickerman walks onstage. "My, what a beautiful crowd tonight!" he says. The audience screams. He cracks a few jokes, and once he's confident that the crowd is loosened up, he welcomes "Ruby, from Distriiiiiccttt One!" to the stage.

Ruby's sparkling ball gown is the color of her namesake. She waves to the crowd as she crosses the stage and takes her seat next to Caesar. They talk for the allotted three minutes, and once the buzzer sounds, Ruby walks back to her seat and is replaced by Marcus.

"So, Marcus, how about that ten? You scored the highest out of all the tributes. Care to tell us about that?" asks Caesar. Marcus picks at his fingernails. "It was a piece of cake, really," he says. The audience roars with laughter. He'll be a crowd favorite, no doubt. Arrogant, smart-mouthed. Almost indifferent. He's going to be fighting for his life in just twenty four hours? No biggie. Piece of cake, really.

I wring my hands together as the Districts pass by. Two, three… And then suddenly Caesar Flickerman's calling my name.

I stand and smile as wide as I can. My knees are shaking as I make my way over to Caesar. He shakes my hand and we sit. Whispers run through the crowd as they try to figure out who I am. All they've seen is the bubbly, happy girl on the chariots, but who really is this mysterious girl from the ocean?

"May I say, Annie, you look absolutely ravishing tonight," Caesar gushes. The blush that rises to my cheeks isn't forced. "Aww, Caesar," I say with a giggle. "You don't look too shabby yourself." Laughter rings through the crowd. Good, they aren't bored with me yet. Caesar waves his hand, and then continues: "How about that seven, huh? Pretty good for someone of your size."

"Well, I may not look like much, but I'm quite the fighter," I say, never breaking my smile. Caesar nods. "And District Four? What's that like?"

I close my eyes and remember Finnick asking me this same question yesterday. "It's such a beautiful place to live. The ocean goes on for what seems like forever," I say. I pause for a moment, and then add, "It's simply _breathtaking._"

"I'll say. Your costumes really reflect that. What do you think of them?" asks Caesar. The costumes are something I've actually enjoyed, so talking about them isn't too hard. "Oh, I just love them. My stylist, Symone, she's amazing. I mean, look at this dress!" I stand and sway from side to side, and the crowd gives a collective gasp. "Wow! Breathtaking, just like you said," Caesar says. The cameras cut to Symone, who smiles, clearly pleased with herself.

The crowd calms down and we take our seats. "So, Annie. Got any strategies for the arena?" asks Caesar. I give a lighthearted laugh. "I'd love to tell you, but my partners and I have agreed that we'll be keeping that a secret." Caesar raises his eyebrows. "Partners?"

"Oh, yes. I've gotten to know a few of my fellow tributes over the past few days. I can't tell you who, though," I explain. Caesar nods again. "Fair enough. Wouldn't want anyone hearing your secrets, would we?" He laughs a little, and then keeps going. Time is running out. "So, a pretty girl like you, you must have a boyfriend back home, huh?" I shake my head slightly. "No. I haven't met 'The One' yet, you know?" I say. "Ah, of course. No need to rush into things," says Caesar.

"I hope I will find that special guy though, once I get home," I say. A hush falls over the crowd. It isn't often that a tribute is so blatant about their plans to get home. "I'm sure you will, Annie," says Caesar, kissing my hand. The buzzer goes off and applause rips through the crowd. "Annie Cresta, everybody!" I curtsey like Roni showed me and head back to my seat, glad that the worst part's over.

I don't even pay attention to Keld's interview. All I know is that the audience loves him, by the way their cheering goes on long after the buzzer has sounded. I keep my eyes on the stage, to make it seem like I'm listening, but really I'm just focusing on how my own interview went.

The last buzzer sounds and finally, finally we get to leave. We stand for the anthem and Keld holds onto my hand and half leads, half drags me to the bottom of the Training Center. We take an elevator with the tributes from eight and when the doors open to our floor, a crazily drunk Roni is waiting for us. "You did _amazing!_" she exclaims, pulling both of us into a tight embrace. Her breath smells heavily of wine.

Finnick and Mags come to our rescue. They pull Roni off of us and Mags takes her to tuck her into bed. As Mags scoops her up and carries her to her room, I have to bite my fist to keep from laughing.

"They loved you," Keld says, patting my shoulder. "They loved you, too, I think. Sorry, I kinda zoned out. Didn't really pay much attention to your interview. I was trying too hard to keep my heart from beating out of my chest. He laughs at this. "Don't worry about it. To be honest, I didn't really listen to any of the interviews after mine."

The three of us go into the dining room and eat without Mags and Roni. After dinner, we watch a rerun of the interviews. I come off just as Finnick had planned. I'm sweet, bubbly, girly. Keld is very likeable and comical. I don't pay attention to many of the interviews until Alexandra's. She's very mysterious, although one thing is clear: she won't go down without a fight.

A slightly sobered Roni Salinas enters the room with Mags by her side. Her skin is ashen, suggesting that she's been throwing up. "I'm terribly sorry about that. I wasn't myself tonight," she says. "Annie, you were so great. They loved you. You've got so many sponsors. And you too, Keld." She walks over to us on wobbly legs and kisses both our cheeks. "Good luck."

Keld excuses himself to his room, and Mags follows, leaving me and Finnick alone. I feel like I should be saying something to him, this is the last night we'll be seeing each other, after all, but I can't seem to form any words, and neither can he. He just presses his hand to my cheek, whispers goodnight, and disappears.

I shuffle to my room and pick off the rhinestones before taking a bath. It takes me longer than usual to scrub away all the makeup and glitter. My dress lies in a heap on the floor. It's such a shame that tonight was its only time to shine.

After I bathe, I dress in a silken nightgown like the one I wore on that first night on the train. As I crawl into bed, I realize that I will not be getting any sleep tonight. All I can do is think about what lies ahead of me. What will the arena be like? A barren wasteland? A vast jungle?

Hours slip by, and no matter how hard I try, I can't seem to fall asleep. I toss and turn, worry consuming my being.

A knock at my door startles me. Curiously, I get out of bed and cross the room to answer it. When I open it, I find Finnick standing in the dim light of the hallway. "What are you do-" I begin, but his lips crash against mine before I can finish my sentence.

That evening on the beach so long ago- that is nothing compared to now. This kiss is filled with a fiery passion that I didn't even know I possessed. Kissing Finnick feels like the most natural thing in the world, like this is the only thing our lips were made to do.

My feet leave the ground and then I find myself entangling my fingers in Finnick's hair. Tears, hot and salty, sting my tongue. I'm not sure if they're mine or his, but now our cheeks are all but glued together with them. I don't stop kissing him until I run out of air, but when his sea green gaze meets mine, I'm the one that presses my lips onto his.

I'm not sure how long we stay there, wrapped in each other's arms. Minutes, maybe hours. Perhaps days. We end up in a world different than our own, where the colors are brighter, the air warmer, the edges softer. When we finally break apart, Finnick presses his forehead against mine, his warm breath still hovering over my lips. "I love you, Annie. So, so much," he murmurs. "I love you too, Finn," I reply. The words tumble out of my mouth before my brain has even formed the thought, but I know that they're true.


End file.
